Fuse for artillery projectiles



Jun 21, 1932.` A; VARAUD FUSE FOR ARTILLEHY PROJECTILES Filed Jan. 29, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet .5/ VII V.

,June 21, 1932. A. VARAUD 1,863,888

FUSE FOR ARTILLERY PROJECTILES Filed Jan. 29, 1930 3 sheets-shet 2 Fig@ Figa a 2C ad INK/EMR M V BYWZM A ATTORNEY June 21,'1932. A. VARAUD 1,863,888

FUSE FOR ARTILLERY PHOJECTILES Filed Jan. 29, 1930 s sheets-sheet 5 Fig. 7. l

- wwf f i l 7? BY @my MM.

fw ATTORNEY latentedk June 21, 1932 PATE-Nr ric 11 ANDR VARAUD, or ennnvn, SWITZERLAND ,FUSE non ARTYILLERY 'rizoJEcrILns Y 3 Appiiqaean feaifanaafya, 1930, serai 1w. `fuses for artillery projectiles and particularly multiple action fuses, it 1s necessaryto employ an exterior member situated in the nose of the fuse so as to allow easy regulation of the effect desired. In certain of thesefuses of the percussion type with de i layed` action, use is made of exterior means, located radially of the nose of the fuse,vfo r regulating the action, but "inthis case it 1s necessary to have the centrifugal member and the locking member placed in the saine plane. .Thisfresults `in a very long and unwieldy construction of the fuse body, this being as great disadvantage particularly for small 1 calibre projectiles whose equilibrium is thus aiiected and whose explosive capacity is great lyfreduced.` r v "Theobject of the present invention is` to construct an improved multiple action pro` jectilefuse havin `5 a centrifugal member `for i controlling one o `the fuse'actions, the conyiii trolling arrangement being characterized by the fact-.that the member situated in the nose i of the fuse and located radially of the proment according to the invention, one being applied` to a percussion fuse with instantaneous and retarded action and the other to a mechanical fuse operating after a certain "time or on percussion.

. Fig. l is an elevation partly in section of a projectile fuse with instantaneous or delayed action with the arrangement according to the invention in inoperative position, the eccentric portion being turned towards the top of the fuse.

Fig. 2 is a partial view of the nose of tbe 3 useshowing in elevation the radial control member turned into the desired position'to obtain instantaneous action.

Fig. is a view similar to Fig. 1 in which 424.167, and in switzerland January so, 1929.

the fuse control isin the operative position, the eccentric portion being turned down-y wardly. a Y

Fig. 4 is a vdetail view similar to Fig.' 2in `which the radial control member is inthe reverse position to give aretarded action.

Fig. 5r shows in section and in partial elevation the control arrangement of the invenij'ion applied to a double actingmechanical use.

Fig. 6 is a detail View of tlie'control meinber in the body of the Vfuse regulated to obtain operation on percussion.

Fig. 7 shows in section and partial elevation'the arrangement according to the invention in its operative position as applied to a fuse of the type shown in Fig. 5, set for seven seconds. I

Fig. 8 is a View similar to Fig. 6 in which the radial control member is regulated to obtain a timed action. A

Referring to the drawings, Figs. 1 to 4, it will be seen that thearrangements comprise the following main parts A key 2, a screw 3, a vertical plunger 4, a spring 5 and a guide sleeve G. The key 2' has a head 2a of a larger diameter and an eccentric portion 2b. It is also provided with a slot 20, a mark 2d, and a conical groove 2e. This key 2 is placed radially within the nose of the fuse and is held in place by a screw 3. The latter has aconical end 3a Awhich co'- operates with one of the sides of the conical groove 2e inthe key 2 in' such a manner as to alloytr regulation ofthe friction of the key 2 and its housing.` f

The eccentric portion 2b co-operates with the head of plunger 4 subjected to the action of a helical spring 5 which bears between the head of said plunger and the top of the guide sleeve 6 for the stein of plunger 4. The free end of this plunger 4 coeoperates with the eXternal' part of a centrifugal boltT `which-,fasshowmf is rigid witlian obturating member controlling the firing passage 8 of 9 Vthe priier 9 leading to the detonator l0 of f g The operation lWS If the ofthe arrangement is as' fold entire key 2 is turned to V7a, and opens the communicating passage for' the primer 9 vready for its ignition on impact.

On the other hand, if the mark 2cZf'of the key is reversed so as to register with the letter R at 1b, Fig. 4, the'eccentric 2bof the key vwill be turned down as shown in Fig. `3, and the free end of the plunger descends into a notch 7 b in Vthe bolt 7 to hold the latter in thepositionzshown inV Fig, 3.v lTherbolt 7 l cannot Ythen move out under the action of centrifugal force during the `flight ofthe projectile kand,onimpact, the flame of the primer cannotpass through the ignition passage due to a metal v.plate 7'0 whichY is con-l nected to the bolt 7 and closes the said passage in known manner. The primervthus ignitesthe. retard chargell and the detonator is operated after a certain length of time.

Figs to'S show the arrangement applied to a double acting ineclianicalfuse operating either after a certain period of time' controlled by the fuse clockwork or by percus; sion due to inertia elfects. In this vtype of fuseV one of these operations only is required on occasions whileV the 4other is prevented; If 'a fuse of this type is timedbefore Vfiring to obtain operation duringV the flight, it is very usefulto prevent-bursting of the pro jectile on hitting the ground if thejtiining mechanism of thev fuse does not function during theiiight of the shell., This function is performed by the arrangement according to the invention in'this type offuse. Y lIn Figure 5 it willbe seenV thattheradial member 2'is in the inoperative position, the eccentric portion 2b being turnedzupwardly whilst the pin 4 has liberated one of the centrifugal bolts 7 under the action of the spring l plunger.

f Thefuse shown by way of example at 7" can only operate during the trajectory by the action of the clockwork. As shown in Fig. 8 the mark 2d of the member 2 is in register with the mark lol or letter T.

vAs will be seen the invention consists in a control arrangement with an eccentric part which may be used in all types o-f fuse to lock Y a centrifugal bolt in a given position against the action of the centrifugal force arising prevent movement of said bolt, and an exteriorlyoperable setting spindle `having an eccentric portionv capable l of engaging said 3.. VIn a fuse, controlling mechanism comprising a centrifugal' control bolt, an axially disposed plunger bolt adapted to be set to prevent vmovement ofthe said bolt, and an exteriorly operable setting spindle having an` eccentric portion capable ofengagingusaid plunger, l aspring.kv *1, l

4. Ina fuse, controlling mechanismycomprising a centrifugal control bolt, anV axially disposed plunger boltadapted to'` be set to preventinovem'entof the said bolt, andan exteriorly operable setting spindle having an eccentricportioncapable of engaging said plungena helicoidal spring adapted'V to bear betweenlthehead of said plunger and the top of a guide sleeve for the stem of the lunger. In ytestimony whereof Ihave affixe my signature. e f lill n ANDR ,.VARAUD.

5. In this positionthe fuse canbexed as a double-acting time fuse, that is to say,ifthev timed operation has not occurred during the flight, the inertia percussion 1mechanism712 functions on impact. j f? y Y In Fig. 8, 1c and 1d represent indications (P and T) for percussive and timedoperaf-l tion respectively, 2c being the slot with which j the controlling ,member 2 is turned and2l the mark carried thereby. Figs. 7 and 8 show the control Varrangement .in the actual'y'position regulated for Vtime operation of the fuse.

The eccentric portion 2b of the member 2 is turned downwardly so that with the pinr4 vdescendingthe vcentrifugal bolt 7 is locked and cannot move from its position 'fori lockngthe p1ugl2 asishown in I.*`g.7.VV

said plunger bolt being assisted by 

